Flooding of low streets, parking lots and drains when the water level passes a minor flood threshold, set for each location and often around half a metre above MHHW. It is driven by spring and perigean tides, sea level rise, seasonal high sea levels and modest wind or pressure effects. Counts of high tide flooding days per year are a standard measure of how sea level rise is reaching coastal communities.
Third high tide flooding day this month, the storm drains on Bay Street are backing up again.
Also heard as
- nuisance flooding
- tidal flooding
- minor flooding
Related terms
Sunny-day flooding
Popular name for high tide flooding that arrives in fine weather, with no rain or storm in sight.
King tide
Informal name for the highest tides of the year, usually perigean spring tides.
MHHW
Mean Higher High Water: the average height of the higher of each day's two high waters over the datum epoch.
Relative sea level trend
The long-term rate of change in mean sea level at a gauge, including both ocean rise and land motion.